Music composer D-Bell and artist Maryna Futymska launch project IRIS in Dubai

Dubai’s creative and cultural community gathered on August 30 for the exclusive premiere of IRIS, a new musical project by composer and producer D-Bell, who conceived and organised the evening as a multidisciplinary cultural experience, bringing together music, visual art and automotive heritage. Presented at the prestigious Tomini Classics showroom, the event was designed as more than that of an album, traditionally presented. It brought together live music, contemporary watercolour, Middle Eastern cultural heritage and a collection of classic automobiles, creating an environment where different forms of human creativity could meet, interact and enter into dialogue.

At the heart of the evening was D-Bell’s new album IRIS, developed over two years, through an international collaboration involving more than 100 musicians and performers from different parts of the world. The visual dimension of the project was created in collaboration with Ukrainian-born, Dubai-based artist, architect and interior designer, Maryna Futymska (Maryna Art). As the creator and organiser of the IRIS premiere, D-Bell brought together several creative disciplines within a single concept. The project combines orchestras and choirs with traditional, ethnic and contemporary instruments, creating a musical landscape shaped by a wide range of cultural traditions and musical influences.

A painting coming to life.

Rather than limiting the project to one genre or one cultural perspective, IRIS was developed as a global collaboration in which different musical voices could become part of a single artistic vision. Artificial Intelligence was not used in the creation of the music or in the development of its visual identity. The project was created through direct human collaboration between the composer, musicians, performers and visual artist.

At a time when technology and AI are increasingly becoming part of artistic production, D-Bell chose to place human interpretation, musicianship, emotion and collaboration, at the centre of the project. The Dubai premiere also offered guests the opportunity to experience three previously unreleased compositions performed live with vocals and instrumental accompaniment. The performances transformed the album from a recorded musical project into a live cultural experience, allowing the audience to encounter IRIS through sound, performance and visual storytelling.

A portrait.

The choice of Tomini Classics as the setting for the IRIS premiere and the presence of historic automobiles, provided a striking visual counterpoint to the watercolour, while also reinforcing shared themes of craftsmanship, heritage, design, history and human creativity. IRIS’s visual dimension was developed through D-Bell’s collaboration with Maryna Futymska, who did not conceive the exhibition simply as an art display accompanying a musical event. Instead, the artworks were sublimated to carry on a visual dialogue with the themes and atmosphere of IRIS, extending the musical project into the world of architecture, painting, cultural memory and Middle Eastern identity.

28 art works were presented, including 18 original watercolour paintings and 10 original illustrations. The 18 watercolour works explored the culture, heritage and everyday life of the Middle East, reflecting Maryna Futymska’s long-standing artistic engagement with the region. The 10 original illustrations were created for the book that inspired D-Bell’s previous album, Intersection. Their inclusion created a visual connection between D-Bell’s previous creative chapter and the newly emerged conceptual world of IRIS.

The artworks created a visual narrative that complemented the music, while the audience experienced the cultural themes of the project through another artistic genre. A particularly significant part of the exhibition was a series of portraits dedicated to prominent figures from the history and contemporary cultural landscape of the UAE. The presentation included portraits of the Founding Father of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan; the President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum; Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum; and Dr. Rafia Ghubash, founder of the Women’s Museum in Dubai.

Flowers with flying petals.

The works represent a significant dimension of Maryna Futymska’s artistic relationship with the UAE. Rather than approaching the Emirates solely as an external subject, she interprets its people, history and cultural identity from the perspective of an artist who has built a significant part of her professional and creative life in the country. Maryna’s artistic practice has developed at the intersection of her Ukrainian heritage and her long-standing professional life in the UAE. Her architectural background continues to shape her approach to painting with space, perspective, structure, light and composition remaining fundamental elements of her work, while watercolour introduces movement, atmosphere and emotional depth to them. Her professional portfolio in the UAE includes the interiors of Emerald Palace at Raffles The Palm Dubai.

She is a member of the Emirates Fine Arts Society (EFAS), the National Watercolor Society (NWS), USA, and the International Watercolor Society (IWS). She is also a recipient of the UAE Cultural Golden Visa. Among guests at the IRIS premiere was Dr. Obaid Al Ketbi, former Major General, former Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Abu Dhabi Police, former UAE Ambassador to Australia and founder of Museum 1185, whose collection includes more than 15,000 artefacts. Also in attendance was Denny Lesmana, Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Dubai, distinguished members of the UAE cultural community including Khalifa Al Obaidli, Ahmad Shah, Tariq Al Salman and Jassim Abdulrasoul, as well as renowned Emirati artists Faisal Abdulqader and Ahmad Al Awadi. The gathering reflected the cross-disciplinary character of Dubai’s creative ecosystem, where diplomatic, cultural, artistic and business communities increasingly intersect.